Quarantine, the word that is keeping me from buying crafting materials, and saving me money in the process 😂
I understand that this horrendous situation has been awful for so many people, but I have always used two things to get me through tough times: humor and crafting. Please do not take me constant jokes as insensitivity, simply my own out, and hopefully a release for you as well.
With THAT out of the way. Ya'll crafting with materials you already have around the house is a bit of a challenge! Wowzers. Like I said earlier though, hubby's and my bank account is already experience the relief of not going to Hobby Lobby on every lunch break 😂.
So, what can I make?
I made this Leprechaun Door for Saint Patrick's day using cardboard and homemade plaster, because I wanted to try the method. And I think I perfected it in one go around if I do say so myself.
So, that method was by choice, now... with very limited materials, why not try it again?
Materials:
1. Cardboard
2. Scissors
3. Glue (Hot and Regular School Glue)
4. Water
5. Napkins/Paper Towels/Newspaper
6. Flour
7. Acrylic Paint
8. Toothpick
9. Paint Brushes
10. (Optional) Yarn for a pom pom tail.
Step 1:
Cut out two identical shapes, in this case a bunny. Keep one cutout intact and cut the other into equal thirds. This bunny is 7" wide so I made 2.25" 'planks'. For more depth, instead of cutting out more shapes which takes FOREVER, cut out a bunch of small strips to use as spacers. You can stack the spacers to whatever thickness you want.
Step 2:
Hot glue (or normal glue, but hot is faster 😂) the spacers onto the base shape evenly. Add glue to the top of each spacer and place your plank on top.
Step 3:
Add your paper mache to your shape. This is mainly for the sides to make the next step easier, but I cover the entire shape to have the same base. If you do cover the front, use your toothpick to 'cut' the grooves of the 'planks'.
(Behind the bunny you can see plastic wrap on our counter. I do this for every craft/baking project I endure. I wet down the counter and place plastic wrap on the top which acts as a suction and it doesn't lift like a layer of newspaper would. At the end of the craft just lift the plastic up, and you don't have to worry about scrubbing paint/stains/etc. off of your counters.)
Step 4:
If you don't have plaster already at home, you can make your own using flour, water, glue, and paint. I don't have an exact ratio that I use, I always just eyeball it, but it should be very thick. You should be able to pull a peak and it won't settle.
Step 5:
Add plaster to your form using a stiff brush, and then bring back the toothpick. Drag the toothpick through the spaces for your 'planks'. The fun part is creating the wood texture. This is actually MUCH easier than it looks, literally just squiggles after squiggles. If you want you can throw in a few layered almond shapes to mimic the rings you find in wood. Once you add the plaster, you want it to sit for at least 12 hours. I was a bit impatient and tried using a blow drier periodically and I could move to the next step in 4 hours.
Step 6:
Paint your base coat. This coat should be your darker color that will peak through the grooves to accent the wood grain. Use a soft brush and make sure to really get the paint into the little crevices. Once your first layer is dry, take your lighter color with a hard brush to lightly drag across the top, pulling against the grain.
Add a pom pom for a tail if you'd like. Ta-Da.